Bretzel Rotations

Progressions

1. 01

   Bretzel Rotations Half Frog

   • Lie on your back with one leg pulled up sideways into a half frog position (knee bent, foot near the opposite thigh) and the other leg extended straight.

   • Use your hand to anchor the half frog knee to the floor, keeping the hips stable throughout.

   • Reach the free arm across your body, then dynamically rotate your torso in the opposite direction, opening the chest toward the ceiling.

   • Focus on initiating the rotation from the thoracic spine, not the shoulders or lower back.

   • Perform controlled, rhythmic rotations — rotate open, pause briefly, then return to the starting position.

   • Keep the anchored knee firmly pressed to the floor throughout each repetition.

   • Exhale as you rotate open and inhale as you return to center.

   • Perform all reps on one side before switching to the other.

2. 02

   Bretzel Rotations Tuck

   • Lie on your back and drop both knees together to one side, keeping them stacked in a tucked position (roughly 90 degrees at the hips and knees).

   • Place the hand closest to your knees on top to anchor them to the floor.

   • Reach the free arm across your body, then dynamically rotate your torso away from your knees, opening the chest toward the ceiling.

   • Focus on the rotation coming from the thoracic spine — keep your knees and hips fixed in place.

   • Perform controlled repetitions, rotating open with each rep and returning to the start with control.

   • Exhale as you rotate open to allow deeper movement, inhale as you return.

   • Keep both shoulder blades reaching toward the floor at the end of each rotation.

   • Perform all reps on one side before switching the knee position and repeating on the other side.

3. 03

   Bretzel Rotations Cross Knee

   • Lie on your back and drop your legs to one side — the bottom leg stays extended while the top leg bends with the knee resting on the floor.

   • Use the hand closest to your knees to anchor the top knee firmly to the ground.

   • Reach the free arm across your body, then dynamically rotate your torso in the opposite direction of your legs.

   • The cross-knee position creates a greater rotational challenge compared to the tuck variation.

   • Focus on opening the chest toward the ceiling with each rotation, driving the movement from the mid-back.

   • Keep the anchored knee pressed to the floor — if it lifts, reduce the rotation range.

   • Perform controlled, rhythmic reps with a brief pause at the end of each rotation.

   • Exhale as you rotate open, inhale as you return. Switch sides after completing all reps.

4. 04

   Bretzel Rotations L-Leg

   • Lie on your back and drop your legs to one side — both legs stay extended, creating an L-shape with your torso.

   • The fully extended top leg creates greater leverage, demanding more rotational control from the thoracic spine.

   • Anchor your legs with the lower hand and reach the free arm across your body.

   • Dynamically rotate your torso in the opposite direction, opening your chest toward the ceiling.

   • This is the most challenging bretzel rotation variation — ensure you can perform the previous progressions with good control first.

   • Focus on smooth, controlled repetitions rather than forcing maximum range.

   • Exhale as you rotate open to relax the muscles and allow deeper movement.

   • Keep the hips and legs stable throughout — all rotation should come from the mid-back. Switch sides after completing all reps.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the Anchored Knee
• Forcing the Rotation
• Rotating from the Lower Back
• Holding the Breath